Precious Pets Vol 3, Issue 3 by PreciousPets

www . preciouspets . ca VOLUME 3

ISSUE 3 u OCTOBER 23, 2015

Kelly Corlett Photo

5 KELLY’S TAKE ON MANX CATS AND HALLOWEEN

6 MAJOR AMERICAN BOOKSELLER’S TOP HORROR CHOICES

DR. JOE SCHWARCZ ON HOUDINI

WHEN MANX MEETS WEST Story page 4

WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

Use common sense this Halloween, for humans and pets alike

Barking Bram with Bram Eisenthal

So, another Samhain celebration is upon us and even if we ONLY like it for the fun that Halloween brings us and not for its religious significance, it’s a great time of year. Great... and fun... but we also must be mindful of potential harm our pets can experience, now and always. Candy is a real killer... for people like diabetics and others who cannot process sugar and, as is the case with pets, for whom sugar substitutes can be harmful either long-term or short. We all imbibe aspartame on occasion, for instance, but I know someone who drinks a full bottle of Diet Coke or other diet soft drinks by about 11 a.m. daily! WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS? Does she have ANY idea what the long-term ramifications of this are? Cancer, that’s what. Aspartame is so thoroughly dangerous I am shocked it has not been regulated yet by health authorities. In the US, you can buy Coke and other diet beverages under the brand name Truvia. I have had them and they are not only satisfying, but they also do not impact my blood sugar. Stevia is a naturally-occurring plant-based substance, but one with a terribly bitter aftertaste. Personally, I am not a fan overall, but Stevia will do in a crunch. Often, when I want something sweet and I have a choice, I will add Monkfruit to my coffee, tea or whatever. When I have no other choice, I will use Splenda, or sucralose, but this is basically sugar that has been bleached with chlorine, if I am not mistaken. Yes, “bleached,” meaning

it may not have blood-sugar-raising effects, but it is now a chemical. And THAT simply cannot be good for you. People can also drink or eat items with Xylitol added as a sweetener, but as Gerdie’s Rescues reminded us via e-mail recently, Xylitol is poisonous to animals. Yes, poisonous, as in toxic and deadly. Pet food expert Chuck Altman at Westmount’s Little Bear concurred, adding that “all artificial sweeteners are terrible (for humans and pets) but Xylitol seems to be a quick killer, especially smaller mammals...” I still maintain that Monkfruit is okay for me, but I recommend keeping ALL sugars away from your pets, because their systems are VERY sensitive and you should feed them as healthy as possible. Monkfruit is, by the way, available under the brand name Monkfruit in the Raw, which I order on Ebay and also under the brand name Krisda, which, unlike the former, appears to be legal in Canada due to its bilingual French-English packaging. My local IGA in the Cote Saint-Luc Shopping Centre, brings it in for me and others and I just love it. Now, when will manufacturers start using it in their diet recipes?

The ultimate monthly paper for pets and their companions Precious Pets is a publication of Precious Pets Media Group Inc. Volume 3, Issue 3, October 2015. Copyright 2015. Precious Pets does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies published within. The opinions and statements of our columnists are not presumed to be the opinions and statements of Precious Pets Group Inc.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 3 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015

PRECIOUS PETS

As for a contrived hot button issue during the election period leading up to our deadline, the furor over whether Muslim woman should be allowed to wear a face-obscuring “niqab” in public was simply ridiculous. Personally, I have my opinion on the matter, but I believe that society is divisive enough. And I see how this nothing issue wiped out the NDP this past national election. So, let’s celebrate the freedoms we share and take a stand

Congrats to the Libs Even though I personally am not a fan, congrats to Justin Trudeau and his Liberals – especially Anthony Housefather in my riding of Mount Royal - for their election win. Justin, your late father was one of my lifetime idols and I think you will become a fine Prime Minister in turn.

Precious Pets 2

pixabay.com Photo

when it is necessary, like we should be doing regarding the insanely high gas prices in Quebec, or, certainly, animal rights.... rather than inventing demons around every corner. Mind you, it IS Halloween... so let’s celebrate demons, too, shall we? Happy Halloween, everyone, but remember to be especially good to your pets and try to observe the rules AND use logic. It’s more fun for us all that way.

LIKE US ON:

http://www.facebook.com/PreciousPetsMediaGroupInc http://www.facebook.com/PreciousPetsGriefGroup

http://twitter.com/PreciousPetNews

OUR CONTACT INFORMATION:

ADVERTISING AND CLASSIFIEDS: ........................................................438 E-MAIL: ......info@preciouspetscanada.com EDITORIAL:................. 514

www.preciouspets.ca

821-6769 975-7745

MAILING ADDRESS: ..............................................P.O. Box 66521, Cavendish Mall, Côte Saint-Luc, QC H4W 3J6 PUBLISHER AND EDITOR:......................................................................................................... Bram Eisenthal SALES MANAGER:........................................................................................................................ Tina Di Salvia CREATIVE DESIGN:...............................................................................................................James McCafferty ART DIRECTOR: .............................................................................................................. ..............Marta Barnes ONTARIO DIRECTOR & DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA:...........................................................Janet Boiangiu INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ............................................................................................. Kelly Corlett

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

BIRD IS THE WORD

One of the more fascinating avian species (part one) Birds of a Feather with Chantal Gargano

ED. NOTE: This column should have run in August, but we ran out of room. So here it is… enjoy, bird lovers! Do you know what the tiniest bird in the world is? Here are a few clues: First, its favorite colour is red and it loves nectar. Its heart beats about 250 times per minutes at rest and up to 1260 times per minute when active. It is the only bird that can fly both forward and backwards and 30 percent of its weight consists of flight muscles. Its wings can beat about 70 times per second. The name comes from the humming sound made by its little wings when it flies. As you probably guessed it by now, yes, it is the beautiful Hummingbird! Those birdies are real cuties, but don’t let that cuteness fool you. Males can be real little bullies and will ferociously defend their territories against other males. Those adorable birdies have also been known to body slam

each other, sometimes in mid-air, even locking their bills together while spinning in circles until they hit the ground. But do not fear, avid birders, because Hummingbirds will not attack humans. They will happily make a pit stop at your feeders for a good sip of nectar. They can drink at an amazing rate of 13 licks per second! Now it is time to share with you some information about their courtship. Like some macho men that I know, male hummingbirds love to show off their ‘’wonderfulness’’ to females. They will puff out their chest and throat to show off their beautiful plumage and will toss their head side-to-side, so their beautiful iridescent feathers flash in the light, in the hope of attracting the attention of a female. The bird ladies will be attracted by the red colour under the male throat. Mating will last about four seconds. Then it is the female that will do all of the nest building and she will also subsequently raise the

morguefile.com Photo

babies on her own. The mom will not let any male Hummingbirds get near her nest, because their bright colours might attract predators. Females will usually lay two tiny eggs that they will incubate for about 16-18 days. When they hatch, the babies will have no feathers. Until their skinny, naked little bodies are covered in feathers, their mommy will spend most of her time

sitting in the nest to keep them warm. She will feed them by regurgitating a mixture of bugs and nectar every 20 minutes. If you are lucky and spot this little avian jewel in your yard, get your camera and start snapping pictures… but hurry-up because they can be as quick as your flash! Good luck!

morguefile.com Photo

PRECIOUS PETS

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

TOP STORY

When Manx meets West with

Bram Eisenthal u Precious Pets Exclusive

cfa.com Photo

When I was a film unit publicist, in 1997, I visited the Isle of Man twice over a six-month period, working on two films, Owd Bob and Treasure Island. The Isle of Man is one of the most treasured places I have ever gone and I will never forget it. Located on the Irish Sea, equidistant to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the place the Bee Gees grew up before moving to Australia as young lads (and home to onetime Grand Prix champion Nigel

Mansell) and FILLED with Manx history and Celtic crosses... the Vikings conquered the land in 1100 AD or so and stayed for almost 250 years.... this is such a cool place. It is a tax haven and you must bid good morning to the “little people” as you cross the Faerie Bridge. How charming is that? I will never forget my time there. I spent my 40th birthday in a disco located in capital city Douglas and had my first Guinness Stout there. I

Photo credit Kelly Corlett

almost wrote “enjoyed”... but I really didn’t. And then there was Kelly Corlett, then a 19-year old whom I became fast friends with and have remained a buddy with to this very day. We were co-workers as crew on Treasure Island and she accompanied me to see the Victorian-styled Twin Lights on the Calf of Man, engineered and built by the grandfather of famed writer Robert Louis Stevenson, himself a (lapsed) lighthouse engineer and author of (what else?) Treasure Island. Kelly, a budding archaeologist by education, is into the same scary things I enjoy. Furthermore, as a resident of the British Isles, it makes sense that she knows a lot about Wiccan lore and legend. I invited Kelly to contribute to this issue and she also offered to submit a suitable cover shot. We welcome Kelly to Precious Pets and know you will like her as much as we do. I asked Kelly to tell us a bit about her experience living in close proximity to Ireland, the “Emerald Isle.” “Well it has definitely made an imprint on who I am as a person (despite my Australian childhood),” she told me. “My teen years on the Isle of Man saw my interest in archaeology flourish, as the tiny island is jammed full of the stuff. I can trace my Manx roots back to the arrival of the Vikings and, culturally, this event has made me aware of all kinds of traditions - ancient ones as well as the more modern. “Having moved from Australia when I was just 13 years old, I had one heck of a culture shock! Adjusting to the climate was bad enough, let alone understanding the different regional accents and different terminology! For instance, I thought a ‘sarnie’ was some kind of fish... never in

a million years knowing it would mean a sandwich. “I obviously had much to learn about my English and Manx heritage but it was definitely worth learning. Now living on the border of England and Scotland (and working with Scottish ‘lasses’), I am

WEST

Continues Page 12

Coming Up: NEXT ISSUE

FRIDAY. November 27, 2015

DEADLINE WEDNESDAY, cfa.com Photo

November 18, 2015 info@preciouspetscanada.com

PRECIOUS PETS

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

NEW TO PRECIOUS PETS

Introducing our new International Correspondent with

Kelly Corlett u Precious Pets Exclusive cat (Felis catus) is a very old breed that has been an inhabitant of the Isle of Man for several hundred years. A tiny island dotted in the middle of the Irish Sea, between England and Ireland; the Isle of Man is itself filled with wonder and mystery. No visit to the UK is complete without a journey to this beautiful little historic island. http://www.visitisleofman.com/

Greetings from England! I am so excited to have joined the ‘Precious Pets’ enterprise and, as your new international correspondent, how could I not start my exciting journey with you all without writing a piece on a pet from my beloved homeland - the Isle of Man – yes I’m talking about the famous Manx cat. The Manx breed of domesticated

The distinguishing feature of the Manx cat – being tailless –is said to result from a naturally-occurring mutation that shortens the tail. This ‘taillessness’ arose naturally on the island, though folklore persists that tailless domestic cats were brought there by sea (Hall: 1995). Most domestic house cats are descendants of British and Irish species originating from the native European wildcat population (F. s. silvestris) however the Manx breed genetics actually descend from the African wildcat (F. silvestris lybica) . The dominant trait of taillessness arose from a spontaneous mutation

wikipedia Photo

PRECIOUS PETS

Courtesy of Kelly Corlett

of the spine; the ‘Manx taillessness gene’ eventually becoming a common trait on the island due to a limited genetic diversity of its bio-geography (Robinson: 1993). Other characteristics of the breed include a rounded head and elongated hind legs, making their rump taller and thus aiding the appearance of a more arched back. Manx cats come in all different colours and patterns, with all-white specimens being quite rare. They have a double thick coat that requires grooming twice a week, which corresponds with the sometimes freezing conditions on the island, where temperatures can plummet severely during the winter months. Manx cats are good natured, family friendly and loyal and enjoy being very communicative with their owners. Their longer back limbs enable them to be great jumpers and good at hunting. There are four varieties of Manx cat:– 1) The Rumpy - completely tailless 2) The Rumpy Riser - 1 - 3 vertebrae (more knob-like than a tail) 3) The Stumpy – 1-3 vertebrae (movable short stumpy tail) 4) The Longy – close to having a full length tail Source: www.domesticcatworld. com

of the Great Deluge and Noah’s Ark, where the cats were the last animals to board the boat. The Manx cat promised to pay for her keep “I will catch mice to pay my way”, the Manx told Noah. The two cats were busy hunting mice and didn’t hear Noah’s last urgent call to board the Ark. When the heavy rains started, the cats realised it was time to get on board before it was too late. The cats managed to jump onto the ark just as Noah was heaving the big doors together, their tails being caught in the big heavy doors– the cats made it safely aboard, but sadly their tails had gone forever.

There are many great legends surrounding the Manx cat and how it lost its tail. A few of my favourites are…

Other Manx myths surrounding the Manx cat are of distinct Celtic fla-

Noah’s Ark The myths of how the Manx lost its tale date as far back as the period

The big fight! Another version of a similar Manx folktale is that the dogs aboard the Ark disliked the cats from the start. Being in such a crowded space, all the dogs and cats were annoying each other and the dogs turned on the cats... finally resulting in a big fight where the cats’ tails were bitten off! The cats were so distressed, they jumped out of the ark’s windows and swam to the safety of the Isle of Man’s nearby island, the Calf of Man. The often quoted Noah myth goes like this: ‘Thus tailless Puss earned Mona’s thanks. And ever after was called a Manx.’

KELLY

Continues Page 14

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

BRING ON THE CREEPY

Five creepiest novel recommendations with

Dave Hinchberger u Owner - Overlook Connection Bookstore and Press

pixabay.com photo

I guarantee you will enjoy every one of these books. Please note that this is a list of five, but not in any sort of order… just titles I’ve really enjoyed and some that I’ve read twice, which is rare, as I don’t usually have time to read any novel a second time. Enjoy, gang! 1. SIBS by F. Paul Wilson. Wilson’s style isn’t something you can just pinpoint and state that this author is “pure horror.” On the contrary, he writes characters with deft style and determination, finding themselves in extreme situations that delve into the horrific. SIBS is an underrated novel in the F. Paul Wilson canon of work. I couldn’t put the book down I was so enthralled with the characters and pacing. A woman returns to New York City, after the apparent murder of her identical twin sister. She is eventually reunited with her ex-boyfriend, a New York City detective, who is investigating her sister’s murder. She has also sought psychiatric treatment from a strange doctor who was also treating her sister. Do yourself a favour and pick it up sometime: You’ll have a helluva ride. 2. SWAN SONG by Robert R. McCammon. This novel, sometimes compared to Stephen King’s THE STAND, is an amazing work on its own and far from that idea. It is a post-apocalyptic tale of survivors trying to navigate in a strange land that any one of us could relate to. The character of “Sister Creep” is one that has stuck with me for over 25 years since its publication. It’s just an amazing look at humanity and the trials and tribulations that people have to overcome to survive. Some don’t make it. This is a large novel, but I read it in three days. I know readers who’ve read it in two! It’s engrossing to the point it kidnaps your life and it’s all you want to read. In fact it’s the only book our store has ever thusly guaranteed: “If you don’t like this book after you’ve read it, I’ll refund your purchase price.” Out of the

PRECIOUS PETS

hundreds we’ve sold, we’ve never had to refund a single copy. If that isn’t high praise, I don’t know what is. 3. THE SHINING by Stephen King. This one scared the bejesus out of me the first time I read it. Reading it decades later, it still holds up as one of the creepiest novels I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Most people know of Stephen King’s THE SHINING due to its long life with readers. Considering it’s been in print for almost four decades, and has been made into two films, with Mick Garris’s version based on Stephen King’s script (and the most faithful). Stanley Kubrick’s version is good, in its own right, but it’s not King’s novel. With the Torrence family taking up residence as the winter caretakers of the Overlook Hotel, which is closed for the season, they encounter many demons. The father, Jack Torrence, faces his personal alcoholic demon,

along with real demons inhabiting the hotel. The wicked souls coming out of the essence of the hotel are being fueled by Jack’s dark downward spiral into his alcoholic need. The family is experiencing events and is trapped with the insanity that is unraveling within. One of the finest novels of horror ever produced, and one that definitely put Stephen King on the map, along with THE STAND, for the horror fiction genre. 4. AFTERAGE by Yvonne Navarro. This novel, first released as a paperback in 1993, took horror readers by storm. Another novel though that is as good today as it was upon its initial release. A plague of vampirism has crept across the country, reducing once-thriving cities to ghost towns in a matter of weeks. In Chicago, a few scattered survivors hide behind the fortified walls of office buildings and museums, raiding deserted stores for dwindling supplies of clothing and food. Meanwhile a hungry vampire population also struggles for survival as their prey grows scarce, forcing them to capture alive the last remaining humans as breeding stock for the blood farms that will ensure their future. A small band of humans makes a desperate last stand against their vampire masters, fighting back with the only weapon that can kill the dead. A scary foray into what is basically a vampire apocalypse. I enjoyed this so much, I republished this as a signed, limited edition hard cover by Overlook

Connection Press that’s still in print today. 5. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Jack Ketchum. This novel has propelled Ketchum into cult status. After losing their parents in a car accident, two sisters go to live with their aunt and her sons. The boys take the lead from their mother, who is slowing losing her grip on sanity, and degrade the girls to the point of going where no one should go, much less children. The neighbourhood kids also begin to join in on this degradation and what happens is completely unfathomable, especially in the time it takes place: In the 50’s…. a time where people leave their doors unlocked, trust their local world, but have no idea what’s really going on behind those doors. Does anyone ever? One of the most disturbing stories of horror I’ve ever read. It’s about real situations, not supernatural ones. It doesn’t get any more horrific than that. ED. NOTE: I have known (and bought books from) Dave for about 20 years now. He’s a straight-shooter and really knows his horror. By the way, Swan Song is one of my favourite books of all time, as well, and I read The Girl Next Door in 24 hours, it was so powerful. I can’t wait to read Afterage, Dave. Thanks for the tip! Find them online at http://www. overlookconnection.com and please LIKE them on Facebook!

TIDBITS Art from

Marta Barnes

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

Once again it was Halloween, and once again Reginald Fluffbuster had to suffer the indignities of ironic costumes.

www.preciouspets.ca

PRECIOUS PETS

of Westmount

Grand Opening! Tuesday November 3, 2015

Love us again... for the first time! Important Update Our location is changing to better serve you. Our spacious new venue will offer you more services, but using our guaranteed quality, provided by our caring, committed staff. At Pampered Pets, we have developed a reputation for quality and excellence regarding how we treat your pets. Whatever aspect of the grooming process you request, we never allow a client to leave dissatisfied. That includes your pets, which always come to us excited, not disheartened.

Now Selling!!

Holistic raw food for dogs and cats

4937 Sherbrooke Street West - Corner Claremont right next door to Starbucks - Westmount - H3Z 1H2 Tel: 514-487-9998 - Like us on Facebook! TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT, SIMPLY CALL 514 487-9998

PRECIOUS PETS

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

QUICK TRICKSTER

A Halloween treat: No tricks allowed here

Houdini’s debunking

efforts still with us today

wikipedia Photo

One of the greatest Halloween rituals ever involves the spirit of the Great Houdini, the best-known and most respected of history’s magicians, escape artists and debunkers of spiritual charlatans. Houdini, born Ehrich Weiss to a Jewish Hungarian family that included a father who was a rabbi and a brother who would survive him as a well-heeled practitioner of magic, was the president of the American Society of Magicians for a time. Just before he died, Houdini, who spent his final years as a tenacious debunker of those he perceived as frauds who claimed to be able to contact spirits during séances, promised his wife, a Catholic woman named Bess (née Raymond), that if there was any way for him to come

back from the spirit world and contact her, he would do so. She would know it was him, because he would use a code that only the two of them knew. After a full decade of annual séances organized by Bess, Houdini never “came back” and his widow sadly ended the efforts to reach him. The city of Montreal played a hence-infamous role in Houdini’s passing. Though he had passed away at Detroit’s Grace Hospital on Halloween 1926, he died after being punched in the stomach unexpectedly at the since-defunct Princess Hotel in downtown Montreal several days before. He had spoken at McGill University earlier that day and had challenged anyone to hurt him with a blow, as his pectoral muscles were so well-trained that he was renowned for his ability to “take a punch” to the stomach if he was well-prepared. The culprit, J. Gordon Whitehead, a McGill University theology student with a notorious past and a dubious rationale for such a feat, hit Houdini at his hotel drawing room while the famed magician was reclining and least expecting it. The punch ruptured his appendix and the resulting peritonitis killed him several days later. Now, Dr. Joe Schwarcz, author, lecturer, radio talk show host, Houdini expert and the Director of McGill’s Office of Science and Society, has revived a previously-published article for our paper that propels Houdini’s debunking efforts into this century for our readers. - Bram Eisenthal

wikipedia Photo

PRECIOUS PETS

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

HOW DOES HE DO IT?

Houdini’s spirit still haunts self-proclaimed spiritual mediums today with

Dr. Joe Schwarcz

wikipedia Photo

For many years, members of the American Society of Magicians gathered on October 31 at Machpelah Cemetery in New York to break a magic wand over the grave of the man whose name is synonymous with magic. They came to pay homage to Harry Houdini, performer extraordinaire, who

passed away on Halloween in 1926, but never really left us. His exploits spawned numerous books, movies and plays and inspired countless youngsters to take up the engaging hobby of prestidigitation. I wish I could tell you that the “Ritual of the Broken Wand” will be performed “tomorrow” as tradition

wikipedia Photo

PRECIOUS PETS

dictates, but alas, that will not happen. Machpelah will be closed on Halloween because the operators of the cemetery have sadly discovered through experience that the holiday invites acts of vandalism. Indeed, Houdini’s grave has been desecrated several times, and was severely damaged in 1993. Magicians from around the world, led by David Copperfield and James Randi, raised the money needed for its restoration. My interest in Houdini actually stems more from his tireless efforts to foster critical thinking than from his magic or his incredible escapes. It was his mother’s death in 1913 that launched Harry on a second career that would intertwine with his magical performances right up to his premature death from peritonitis at age 52. The magician had been extremely close to his mother and was utterly devastated when he received the telegram informing him of her death. “A shock,” he sighed, “from which I think recovery is not possible.” Although he was the son of a rabbi, Houdini had no religious convictions and had never expressed any belief in an afterlife. But desperate people do desperate things. A distraught Houdini began to seek out mediums who claimed to be able to contact the dead. Instead of finding solace in the darkness of the séance room, though, Houdini found rampant fraud. Tables moved, trumpets floated in the air and bells mysteriously rang, supposedly signaling the presence of spirits. While many

sitters were amazed by these phenomena, Houdini was greatly angered. He knew exactly what was going on, for the simple reason that he had performed similar effects on the stage himself. Levitations and apparitions are classic magic effects and are produced by perfectly explicable scientific means. A livid Houdini now saw his beloved art being used to defraud vulnerable people of their money and resolved to unmask the charlatans. Harry began to give lectures on the fraudulent methods used by mediums and introduced an expose of psychics into his full evening show. The audience was first treated to magic, then to some amazing escapes, and finally, to a séance where the methods commonly used by mediums were exposed. This was a bit of a touchy business, given that Houdini served as president of the American Society of Magicians, an organization that had a cardinal rule to never expose magic tricks. But the greater good of protecting the public from scams warranted an exception, Houdini argued. In any case, he maintained that he was only revealing effects that were used in the total darkness of a séance, and therefore not of much use on the stage. In 1924, Scientific American, the leading science magazine of the time, established a committee to investigate purported paranormal phenomena. By this time Houdini had established himself as an expert debunker of nonsense and was asked to sit on the committee. A prize of $2500 was offered to the first person who under test conditions could produce an “objective psychic manifestation of physical character.” Had it not been for Houdini, Nino Pecoraro, an Italian medium may have walked off with the prize. The magician was away on a lecture tour the first time the committee tested Pecoraro, and in

HOUDINI Continues Page 11

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

ASK THE DOCTOR

They Call Me Dr. W

New puppy or kitten visits: The check-up (part one) with

Dr. Wybranowski, B.SC. DVM CCRT

At Animal 911 everyone loves new puppy or new kitten visits. What could be cuter that a cud-

dly little cat or a prancing puppy? New owners are very proud of their new pet and rightly so, but

once all the oohs and ahhs have been said; we need to get down to business: The pet’s health.

Veterinary Technician Emilie Gauthier assists Dr. W, inspecting Tina’s puppy Simba thoroughly for his initial checkup. Simba’s attitude? ” Let me gnaw on something rather than worry...”

The most important part of the visit is the actual physical exam. The veterinarian needs to examine the pet from head to tail. I always do my exam in the same way, where nothing gets forgotten. And after 35 years, this is an instinctive process. As the pet is on the exam table I let him smell my hands so he can get used to me: Meanwhile I look him over from a distance, as I want to get an overall impression of his health. I start at the head. I look at the eyes... is there any discharge? Are the eyelids well-contoured to the eye? Are the mucous membranes in the eye pink, not pale suggesting anemia, yellow suggesting jaundice or blue suggesting heart disease? Next, I will lift the lip and look at the mouth, looking for the same color changes as previously described. I will check the teeth alignment, as many future problems can be prevented now, if found early. Next I examine the lymph nodes under the jaw, in front of the shoulder, behind the shoulder, in the axillae and behind the knee. With my stethoscope I listen first to the lungs, then to the heart. Lung sounds should be faint, no wheezing or crackling. The heart rate should be around 100 for a puppy and somewhat faster for a kitten. There should be no heart murmurs. With an otoscope I will check both ears for the presence of wax buildup, mites or infection. If we detect anything unusual we will take samples to check under the microscope. With an ophthalmoscope I will check the eyes, first the retina, then the lens and cornea. Do the pupils react to light, are the pupils even in size, are the blood vessels in the retina normal, and are the lenses well-transparent? All these questions and many more go through my head as I am doing the exam. ED. NOTE - Part two will continue in the November issue of Precious Pets... as Tina’s new puppy Simba continues his progress as he achieves a passing health grade

PRECIOUS PETS

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

FRESH MEAT

I don’t like spiders (bats) and snakes... Boyhood Buddy with Jovan Rohac

Spiders, bats and snakes! They have never really been my friends. I have never had any one of them as a pet. I’d rather have a cat or a dog. I know a few people who have a great fear of spiders. When I think about spiders, I think of thousands of spider legs crawling all over your skin. It makes me shiver! It would be different having a bat as a pet. I would have a difficult time

trying to figure out how to house a bat. It would be interesting watching a bat fly or sleep. I once touched a snake: I was expecting it to be hard and scaly but instead it was rather soft and squishy. I could watch a snake moving for hours inside its aquarium. Most people have never experienced having a spider, bat or snake as a pet. Having one and watching

HOUDINI Continued from Page 9 i

spite of his hands and feet being effectively bound, the medium was able to produce the usual séance manifestations. Trumpets sounded, a bell bafflingly flew through the air, and dollar bills materialized seemingly out of nowhere. When Houdini heard about these wonders he cancelled his tour and returned to New York to take part in the Italian’s next test. As the world’s foremost escape artist, Harry knew that “tieing up” could not be left to amateurs. The use of short ropes was critical because long ones inevitably introduced the potential for some slack. Under Houdini’s guidance, Pecoraro’s hands were placed into gloves that were then sewed to his underwear. His coat sleeves were also sewn to his trousers and then he was securely tied with numerous short ropes. After Houdini finished his handiwork, the committee members sat back and waited for the appearance of the spirits. It was a futile wait. There were no physical apparitions either. No mystifying bell ringing. And consequently, no prize money awarded! Many other exposes followed, both neither Hou-

dini nor others who followed in his footsteps were successful in preventing people from believing the unbelievable. That’s why psychics like Sylvia Browne can still take advantage of the desperate. Appearing on the Montel Williams Show, Sylvia told the grandmother of a missing girl that she was alive, but had been sold into white slavery in Japan. Sadly, as it turned out, the girl had been murdered in Texas. This know-it-all seer also failed to predict the events of 9/11, and said that American troops would be out of Iraq by last July. Sylvia Browne has been repeatedly challenged by James Randi, a la Houdini, to prove her psychic abilities under controlled conditions. He has a standing offer of a million dollars to anyone who can do so. Sylvia has three times on network television agreed to be tested, but Randi is still waiting. She claims he doesn’t really have the money. Well, if she were such a great psychic, she would know that the money is there, locked in an escrow account. And now, I’ll make a prediction Sylvia Browne will never agree to a test, because she knows where her

PRECIOUS PETS

A swarm of bats crowds the night sky

how it lives, eats and sleeps would be so much more fun then having a dog. All of these creatures make me shake, giving me a tingling sensation down my spine or giving me goose bumps.

ED. NOTE: Our cover subject, Kelly Corlett, has two rats as pets and claims they are the sweetest living things anyone would want to meet. Then again, in a dark alley someplace, maybe not so much....

talents really lie: An amazing ability to convince people that she is an authentic psychic in spite of the lack of any evidence! Oh what fun Houdini would have had with her.

Answer the question “What famous author, creator of an even more famous detective and supporter of spiritualists, did Houdini clash with?” and win a signed copy Dr. Joe’s latest book! Please e-mail your reply, your name and address, to info@preciouspetscanada.com The winner will have their name published in an upcoming issue of Precious Pets.

ED. NOTE: I toured Machpelah Cemetery in Queens, New York in the summer of 2008 and said prayers at the graves of the Weiss family, Ehrich included. If you’d like a riveting read on Harry Houdini’s little-known “alter-ego,” I heartily recommend The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero,” by William Kalush and Larry Sloman (Atria Books, 2006). Win a book signed by Dr. Joe Schwarcz!

Manon Flynn, DVM Amanda Cockburn, DVM Isabelle Foisy, DVM 450-458-5382

450-458-4391

www.hudsonvet .ca 5412 Harwood Vaudreuil-Dorion (QC) J7V 0K2

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca

RATS RATS RATS

WEST

Continued from Page 4 i

once again learning the local pronunciations, slang and meanings for things. It’s an eye- opening experience, let me tell you. Culturally I consider myself very mixed and I feel very blessed to have this gift of insight, which I use to see the world through.” I asked if she had any good animal tales. “Wow, that’s a tough one, as I have so many. I think the affinity we have with cats is an odd one. We talk to cats and even get responses from them - perhaps this is why we considered lone elderly women as ‘witches’ who adopted them as if they were their own children, but perhaps were just looking for the comfort and company of a trusted companion. From the ancient Egyptians to the present day, cats have always had a ‘hold’ over their owners – it’s no wonder, then, throughout so many different cultures they are surrounded by mystery and intrigue.”

Kelly then addressed the subject of Halloween, through her Manx eyes: “In the traditional Gaelic calendar the ‘Celtic New Year’ or ‘Samhain’ (‘Sauin’ in Manx) represents the end of the harvest and the onset of the ‘Feast of the Dead’ celebrations - in prehistoric times this is when animals were slaughtered and folk prepared for the long harsh winter ahead (occurring halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice). Pagans light bonfires and perform protective rituals, keeping the evil spirits at bay. In the Isle of Man (a very superstitious isle, indeed) we celebrate Hop tu Naa which actually pre-dates Halloween. Traditionally, children would carve turnips and dress up to ward off evil spirits... this eventually turned into Halloween. “Black cats are common icons of Halloween due to their association as ‘familiars’ with witches and that provoked scary tales, which later

Photo credit Kelly Corlett

become the myths and legends of today. Does Kelly believe animals have souls? “Of course animals have souls! They each have their own personalities and character traits - I see this in my own pets and I can see the difference in each of them. I talk to my ratties (ED. NOTE: Yes, rats) all the time and know they get excited when I walk into the room. Their reaction to me is individual: Matilda would think ‘yaaaaay, belly rubs’ whilst Cookie would think ‘ooh... food time again.’ Of the many pets I’ve had over the years I can identify traits we humans can identify with: Stubbornness, shy-

Ace Dog Training Montreal AFFIRMATIVE CANINE EDUCATION • Obedience, All Levels • Behavior Consultations • Temperament Evaluations

Jayne DeLuca DOG TRAINER

514-238-6119

PRECIOUS PETS

acedogtrainingmontreal.com

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

For more information on the uncanny traditions of IOM, consult the book Supernatural Isle of Man (Jenny Randles, Robert Hale Ltd., 2003) which contains the history and lore of this unique island. Learn about entities such as the Moddey dhoo, a fierce big black dog, and the Tarroo-ushtey, a possessed demon bull, which haunt this region.

Photo credit Kelly Corlett

C.D.T.A.REGISTERED TRAINER Member of Montreal Dog Trainers Network

ness, affection and so on - which is why we love our pets and give them names, talk to them and make them members of our family.”

www.preciouspets.ca

THE GREAT BEYOND

Tarot reading versus fortune telling Tarot Reading with Catherine River-Rain

morguefile.com photo

Tarot is an amazing and complex tool for divination and self discovery. We often miss that last aspect, but when my students come and we delve into the entire deck - all of life is revealed. The magical and mystical, dark and deceptive, the bland and stagnant, the tender and subtle. Almost everyone who learns takes at least a year if not years to understand and integrate all the cards.

There will always be a few we have a hard time with because they strike a chord so deeply with our own life lessons. One main misconception I’d share is that the Tarot gives a black and white prediction. The cards alone don’t. That extra vision or confirmation is usually coming from a reader who uses the card to channel - a clairvoyant, clairaudient or medium. We will use the tarot as the tool to begin channelling messages, seeing images, hearing words or names, and connecting to spirits - guides or ancestors. At that point the cards become the gateway to another dimension and also the confirmation of what comes through. When I read the cards, I open them and immediately, no matter how many thousands of times I’ve seen them, I am presented with flash images: Phrases come through and stories come through like snippets of a movie. It happens the second I flip them over. From there I begin to channel what else is coming through and I ask the client to confirm whether this is accurate or is making sense. If they recognize who or what I am seeing, they can tell me the story and

pixabay.com photo

as they speak I am still in trance and more information will come through as they talk. This is another misconception that I should see everything, while you don’t have to talk. This creates an enormous wall of energy. It’s a negative barrier to a good reading. It’s not that you have to reveal everything, either: There is a balance. When anyone is wide open and receiving messages we need a simple, “yes” or “no” to confirm our information so we will continue with it in more detail. Also, as you speak, the energy of the situation is felt and more information gets revealed. It becomes less literal - will he call me? - and more about the quality of the relationship dynamic. From the deeper truths of the underlying energy, true predictions can be made. The Tarot, at that point, with its specific meanings and symbolisms, confirms and adds to that energy and the two combine to give the reading. There are people who read Tar-

ot without any channelling and will nonetheless give very accurate readings. It is, however, presented with a different energy - and is just as real and helpful, albeit with a good reader. Fortune telling is actually a very low vibration. To have someone passively sit there in silence while another tells them “how it is” as if there is no choice in life...as if they are THE authority... is potentially very dangerous. To interact with the reader, affirm what comes through with them, and use these gifts to guide and go deeper - honouring peoples’ feelings and choices - this is a high energy pursuit. In that instance, a reading is healing. For more on Catharine River-Rain, or to book a Tarot reading with her, kindly go to: http:// www.river-rain.com. Or you can e-mail her at river.rain.catharine@gmail.com or call her at 524-943-7246.

pixabay.com photo

PRECIOUS PETS

p VOLUME 3 p ISSUE 3 p FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 p

www.preciouspets.ca